The township of Quale, nestled within Acadia's western region, began as a modest mining village. Yet, with the unearthing of valuable Corvite ore and shimmering crystals, it had rapidly transformed into a bustling hub. Historically, this village was known as a sanctuary for wanderers traversing the treacherous Ratheron Pass, a mountainous pathway that bridged the north and the west to the rest of Acadia. Exhausted voyagers normally found solace after braving the mountain's dangers. But now, that once peaceful refuge was ablaze.

A pair of brothers wreaked havoc in Quale's northern quarters, their fiery wrath consuming everything. Whether it was a structure, beast, or person, if it could be consumed by fire, the duo ensured it was. Panicking residents, desperately seeking safety, scurried southwards, clutching their loved ones and belongings. The less fortunate could only let out harrowing screams, praying for some savior. The town's guardsmen tried to counteract this fiery onslaught, but their efforts were futile because these men were Arts users—mages.

Nero, the elder sibling, was an imposing figure in his early thirties. He had a burly physique, a ghoulish complexion accentuated by pale blonde locks, and his pallid, hollowed eyes further added to his spectral appearance.

"Burn it all," he commanded with disdain. "That should ruffle the fledgling's feathers."

His younger counterpart, Dom, was leaner but shared a family resemblance, distinguished by his cascading pale hair. "It's too bad that the Dauntless went and got himself killed. Wouldn't it have been something if we'd been the ones to fell him? Think of all the recognition," he mused, sending a blazing projectile towards a storefront. The structure was quickly swallowed by flames, and Dom, envisioning the fabled Dauntless falling similarly, smirked with malicious delight. "That would have been amazing," he said with a dazed smile.

"While that would have been great, the Inferno is a more fitting adversary for us." Nero's gruff voice pulled his brother out of his fantasy. "Guardian or not, the Inferno is still quite young. Therein lies our advantage."

"An opportunity to establish our supremacy as flame-wielders," Dom chimed in, yelling into the thickening smoke, "Reveal yourself, you puny ember! Come face us, the Twin Hell Spawns, the true masters of flame."

But doubt crept into Dom's mind, and he considered the possibility that their perilous journey through the Ratheron Pass might have been in vain. Nero, sensing this, reassured him. "Trust me, my contact confirmed the Flame Guardian's presence here. If not, we still stand to plunder a fortune in Corvite for Reine and Corath's markets. We'll be rolling in gold for the next few years."

With renewed fervor, Dom conjured a fireball, yearning to challenge a Guardian, and launched it into the distance.

Suddenly, a magnificent blaze, radiant like the morning sun, barreled toward them.

"What the—?" Dom cried out as he dove to the side, barely escaping the licks of the unexpected attack.

The persisting golden flames split, weaving through structures and inhabitants, consuming every flame the Hell Spawns had kindled. Soon, all the fires created by the Twin Hell Spawns were absorbed and dispelled.

In the wake of the counteroffensive, two young men appeared. One brushed his silvery-gray locks away, revealing a contemptuous smirk. The other, with shorter black hair and the stubbled hint of a beard, looked disdainfully at the duo. Adorning their attire were metal badges showcasing a flaming crown – the emblem of the Ember King's Band. Behind them, allies sporting the same insignia hurried to assist those harmed.

"What do you two scumbags want?" the dark-haired boy demanded.

"No Pauli, the real question is, why are you ruining our vacation?" the other boy asked, only to receive a sharp glare from Pauli. "Uh, what I meant to say was, what business do you have with us? Or are you here for Ray?"

"Vacation? Ray?" Dom asked. "We are here for that damned Inferno Guardi—"

Nero interjected, "You're referring to the illustrious Captain LeFlare, aren't you?"

Pauli's gaze hardened on his friend. "Yugo, how many times have I told you not to use that nickname out here?"

Yugo waved aside the complaint. Then motioning to someone behind him he said, "It's no big deal. Right, Rayel?"

Another young man emerged from the golden flames. He had striking amber-red hair and wore a sleeveless red coat and a gold-plated headband showcasing the crowned flame emblem. A brilliant red star rested on his shoulder - the Dais of the Inferno. His eyes, the color of the glimmering sun, seemed to dance and flicker like his golden flames.

"It's not that I mind, Yugo, but it confuses people, see?" Rayel gestured toward Nero and Dom. "Also, you guys didn't have to come all the way here and attack this city just to find me. If you wanted to fight, a simple challenge letter would have sufficed."

Yugo laughed uproariously, "You forget again, Ray? That's just an Akademos tradition. Out here, it's the real deal." His jest earned chuckles from Rayel and Pauli.

"I guess I did," Rayel admitted, trying to suppress his smile. "You must forgive me," he said to Dom and Nero. "After spending a few years in school, I guess you forget how the rest of the world works."

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"Are you making fun of us, you bastard?" Dom growled.

"No, my apologies. That was not my intention," Rayel said, his voice taking on a serious edge. "I assume you're here to duel me, but was all this destruction truly necessary?"

"Perhaps not," Nero calmly said. "But do not mistake your execution for a mere duel." Despite his brother's composure, Dom sensed Nero's suppressed fury. Dangerous heat rolled off his brother in potent waves. They had not spent the past two weeks tracking down this Akademos dropout just to be mocked by him and his friends. Guardian or not, they would make sure this boy paid for his insolence.

"Dom, picture this: the Flame Guardian, defeated by the legendary Twin Hell Spawns. It'll be a tale for the ages," Nero mused, flames engulfing his fist.

"It's a beautiful sight," Dom agreed, a fireball spawning in his palm.

As they advanced on Rayel, Yugo, and Pauli formed a protective barrier around their captain, the distinct glow of their auras forming around them.

A mammoth wolf that towered over them appeared beside Yugo. "Bring it on, you self-proclaimed legends," he smirked.

"All right then. Let's make this quick," Pauli grumbled as a dark substance pooled at his feet.

"Yugo, Pauli, I need you two to go help the others tend to the wounded," Rayel instructed, stepping past his makeshift guards. A golden aura formed around him, but as the Dais on his shoulder pulsed, his aura shifted into an intense red. With a fierce grin, he said, "I'm more than enough to repay these two wannabes in kind."

"Yes, Captain," Yugo and Pauli said in unison. Immediately, they raced back through the curtain of golden flames, leaving their captain alone with the two brothers.

Dom's temper fell off the edge. He couldn't believe the audacity of this kid thinking he could beat the two of them all by himself. "Don't you dare underestimate us!" he roared, launching his fireball with great malice. But his attack was futile; the ferocious flames never reached their intended mark, as they were effortlessly consumed by the Inferno's golden blaze.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

At the precipice of a cliff, overlooking the nearly deserted port town of Serul, stood a figure draped in a cloak – Arissa Maeldon. The coastal town, nestled near Acadia's eastern shores, glistened in the distance. Arissa's fingers danced over her gold armband, engraved with the image of a winged whirlwind – the insignia of the Seraphim Order.

Down below, the harbor teemed with an imposing armada of pirate ships, all flying the fearsome flag of the Dread Hunters, distinguished by a menacing, grinning skull. Ancient water-carved cliffs enclosed Serul, leaving just a singular, pathway in or out of the harbor. The pirates had barricaded this lone exit, entrapping the townsfolk. On the cliffs above, the Seraphim Order assembled to prepare their rescue.

All was still for now, but a light persistent breeze brought the smell of incoming rain mixed with something else Arissa could never quite define. She knew this scent, and it made her very uneasy. The air always seemed to smell this way when disaster was imminent. She breathed in and retraced the emblem on her armband.

Gerard, her trusted vice-captain, emerged from the shadowed woods behind her with silent steps. Strands of his long chestnut-colored hair poked through the edge of his hood, while his hand rested on a ceramic mask with an intricate pattern of swirling winds etched into it. Trailing him, the Order's members sported the winged whirlwind insignia on their draped cloaks.

"They've made their move. The Dread Hunters," Gerard murmured, joining her. "Think Lindsey might be here?"

Arissa's fingers stopped moving at the mention of the notorious captain of the Dread Hunters. She wasn't sure of Lindsey Dread's intentions, but she knew it was somehow tied to the recent movements of the Hades Path. It would be a truly worrisome situation if those two groups had begun working together. And of course, there was only one way to find out.

She swiftly put on her wind-etched mask, took a breath, and leapt feet-first toward the water below. As she descended, her body glowed with a light green aura, and she shot toward the Dread Hunters' ships. Manipulating the air currents, she glided seamlessly over the water's surface before landing on the deck of the lead ship with an explosion of wind. Two Dread Hunters slammed into the ship's mast, and many more flew overboard before the remaining pirates could register her presence.

"Hey, who are yo—" one of them shouted before he, too, was thrown off the ship by the sharp swirling wind encircling Arissa.

"As hot-headed as ever," Gerard said with a smile as he watched his captain in action. Securing his hair and mask, he announced, "Let's go. Follow the captain." A pale blue aura surrounded him as with a wave, he forged a ramp of solid ice connecting the cliff to the town below. He quickly slid down toward the town, crouching for balance. Without hesitation, the Seraphim Order's members followed suit; their reflections streamed behind them in the clear, solid wall.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Nero was in shock as he and Dom fled from Qaule. Their confrontation with the Inferno had not unfolded as he had hoped. Despite his and his brother's combined might, the upstart's golden flames had effortlessly nullified their every move. Their survival was perhaps a stroke of fate.

"Why was he so formidable?" Dom lamented, his voice echoing through the forest around them. "We couldn't even get close to him."

"Quiet," Nero hushed, casting an anxious glance behind them. He wasn't sure, but he thought he had heard a wolf's howl not too long ago. "I miscalculated," he responded quietly. "I never imagined he would be that powerful. He is only a kid. It must be that damned—"

"But you said we could beat him, so what happened?" Dom cut him off, frustration filling his voice. In a fit of rage, he set a tree aflame.

"Dom! Control yourself. I'm sure the Inferno's Order is right behind us. We can't risk doing anything to give up our location," Nero said, rushing forward to put out the flames before they could spread.

Dom calmed as the wisdom in his brother's words registered. "Yeah, that was stupid of me, sorry. But what are we going to do now? We still need to gain the attention of the Had—"

Mid-conversation, a twig snapped, making both brothers freeze. Two mammoth wolves growled, emerging from the shadows. Their fur reflected the moon's glow and their eyes fixed menacingly on the twins.

Dom, driven by impulse, hurled fire at the beasts, but they swiftly sidestepped the attack and positioned themselves atop a rock outcrop. Then they unleashed a pair of haunting howls into the night sky.

"We've been exposed. Let's split up and throw them off our trail," Nero ordered.

"Meet up at the base?" Dom asked, sounding both hopeful and apprehensive.

"Yes. And Dom?" Nero said as he met his little brother's eyes. Unfortunately, his brother tended to allow his temper to overwhelm his sense of reason. It was a trait that often landed both of them in particularly perilous situations.

"Yes?"

"Please, be careful."

"I will."

The two brothers split up, running in opposite directions. Nero headed south, and Dom ran east toward the sleepy village of Wailen.